Chapter 155
**
What is the Demon Cult?
It is a living threat and a public enemy of the martial world. The history so far proves that.
When things seem calm, the Demon War erupts. How much trouble has the Martial Alliance endured because of it?
Rogues, warriors, even civilians…
They tremble at the mere mention of the Demon Cult. It’s a fear that even children understand.
So…
It’s only natural to be scared.
“What you’ve learned are the skills of the Demon Cult. The Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword… everyone knows about it.”
“……”
“You have to forget it, Sua. Holding onto that will only bring you trouble.”
Sua blinked her eyes, squeezing her voice out.
“…Is Daddy a bad person…?”
“…….”
It was a question I couldn’t answer carelessly.
Where is the line between good and evil? Am I a bad person?
But even so, I couldn’t just hold my tongue awkwardly.
Adults are a mirror for children.
I had to speak, even if it shatters her illusions.
“…You’re right.”
“…The adults always say that their hunger and suffering is because of the Demon Cult.”
“…….”
“They say that during role-play too. The Demon Cult’s warriors always have to lose. Even if it’s just for fun, a Demon Cult warrior shouldn’t win. That wouldn’t be right.”
“…….”
“But, um…”
Sua reached out her hand. She pulled me into an embrace.
“Daddy is my light. My hero. I-I admire you, Daddy.”
“……”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re part of the Demon Cult or not. Daddy… you’re the best. I need nothing else. I’ve never met anyone as kind as you. You’re so gentle. I’ve seen the things you do for your friends. You took the time to teach them martial arts yourself.”
“……”
“I don’t care if you’re part of the Demon Cult. The Daddy I see is nothing like what I’ve heard. So… I don’t want that. I want to be with you. I want to learn what you learned.”
Sua’s voice broke as she spoke.
“I want to become just like you, Daddy. I can’t… right? You’re my idol…”
“……”
“I want to learn… your martial arts…”
It was a difficult thing to say.
At the same time, it felt like I could understand what kind of feelings Sua had towards me.
I stroked my face and pondered for a moment.
What should I say?
But no matter how much I reflected on myself, I had no words to offer her. She was like a mirror reflecting me.
I also had started this path from admiration.
How could I tell her not to respect someone?
In the end, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
“…Do you know what the most common thing I heard from my master was?”
“…I-I don’t know…”
“There’s probably no one stubborn enough in the world like you—was what they said.”
I stood up and hugged Sua.
“It won’t be an easy path. That’s for sure. But… are you okay with that?”
“…….!”
Sua nodded vigorously.
“I’d love to be with you, even if it’s hell…!”
Where on earth did she learn to say such things?
I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Like father, like daughter…”
I playfully pinched Sua’s cheek.
“We’re both in big trouble.”
“…Hehe.”
Sua laughed with her tear-streaked face.
…
“I will take Sua with me.”
“What?! Why?! Isn’t it dangerous?!”
“I have my reasons. I’m sorry.”
Given the situation, it was better for me to personally teach her martial arts as we traveled together.
At least until Sua could hide her skills.
It felt strange to deny the motivation of someone who picked up a sword because they admired me.
That would be tantamount to denying myself.
Having made up my mind, I decided not to deny it any longer. I resolved to accept her just as she is.
The daughter I must teach properly, who will inherit my Nine Heavens Blood Demon Sword.
In exchange, I entrusted the other two to Changseong.
“Can you keep an eye on Narin and Gwangyang’s martial arts whenever you have time?”
“What’s wrong with that? Count on me. I’ll whip them into shape, just as you’ve helped me.”
Direct guidance from Changseong. Narin and Gwangyang were both thrilled yet disappointed.
“Still, it would be better with Master’s guidance…”
“What a shame. So, will Miss be leaving as well?”
“That’s the plan. I have to supervise them myself. Otherwise… something bad could happen.”
Sua ran over and hugged Narin and Gwangyang once.
“Big sis. Older brother. Thank you for everything. I will definitely repay the kindness in the future.”
“…I just want to live with you…”
“Miss, anytime you need me, just call. I will come running.”
The two weeks passed quickly. I prepared to leave with Sua.
It had been a while since I had faced different faces. It felt as if Gu Yangdo, Geumpyeong, and Purple Sword Myochoa had been waiting for me to step out of Cheonmu Academy.
“Muk Geom! We need to talk.”
“Jeok-un! Let’s discuss things!”
I made some time for them. However, the questions that came pouring in had no substance.
“Why didn’t you inform us first?”
“I was the only one on the night patrol, wasn’t I? At the time I witnessed the incident, I was in no position to seek help. If I hadn’t intervened, Bul-jun would have been overwhelmed and killed, and I would have to bear that shame alone.”
“……”
“Didn’t both of you think what I was doing was pointless? But now you come and say you weren’t informed? How do you want me to respond to that?”
Gu Yangdo cleared his throat. He turned away as if he had no words.
Purple Sword Myochoa shouted furiously.
“What, you could’ve sent someone to call us?! Do you know what kind of turmoil your actions have caused? The balance we had carefully maintained…!”
“Then I should have just let Bul-jun die there?”
“That’s not it… There could have been a better way…!”
“Are you suggesting I ignore the corruption of the Shaolin? Or turn my back on those who need help? You seem to not understand now or before. Myochoa, I have no interest in the ‘necessary sacrifices’ you spew. I don’t wish to listen, nor do I want to contribute my thoughts. And to come to me, who actually resolved the incident, and pick apart the right and wrong after the fact…”
I sighed.
“Are these your opinions, or are they those of Elder Dan Ri Jin Su and the soldiers? If it’s the latter, I’d be greatly disappointed. Pretending to be fine in front, yet sending someone behind my back to create an opinion that I’m at fault?”
“……”
“……”
Gu Yangdo and Geumpyeong fell silent.
I pushed through the space between us.
“Did you perhaps think both of you weren’t making any progress on the matter and neglected your duties as inspectors?”
“…That!”
“If you have something to say, just say it here. I’m all ears.”
Myochoa opened her mouth but trembled, clearly unable to say anything.
I knew she wouldn’t have anything to say.
My actions were morally sound and represented righteous behavior in the martial way.
“If there’s nothing more to say, I’ll be off then. The leader has called for me.”
“……”
I turned my back on Geumpyeong and Myochoa.
I met the Martial Alliance Leader again, who grinned and put his arm around my shoulder.
“How’s your recovery, Muk Geom?”
“Thanks to your care, I can move without issue.”
“Good to hear. At just the right time, I have a task for you.”
Yet again, another mission.
But before that, I had somewhere to go.
“Leader.”
“What is it?”
“I must speak out of turn, but what I did was certainly considerable… so I would like to ask for a reward.”
The Martial Alliance Leader’s eyes widened as did the soldiers sitting nearby.
The two exchanged glances before breaking into chuckles.
“That’s not incorrect. What you’ve done has greatly assisted in revealing the Martial Alliance’s justice. Yes, a lack of greed can indeed become a problem. What do you want?”
I articulated the words I had been contemplating.
Asking directly to review the records of the Demon Cult’s spies would undoubtedly raise suspicion.
So I thought of something else.
A method to investigate without being too obvious.
“I want to examine the secret library hidden within the Martial Alliance.”
“…The Secret Library? You mean the place where the secrets of each martial art are kept and stored?”
“Yes.”
“Why is that?”
“…It’s blocked by a wall.”
I spat out a lie. I wasn’t particularly keen on it, but I had no other way.
Ilma didn’t call it a lie. He said to call it ‘ingenuity.’
…Let’s follow my master’s advice.
“I think I can’t overcome it alone, so I want to explore another path. But I can hardly find martial arts that deal only with external power…”
“…Hmm. That isn’t incorrect. But if we simply speak about external power, the martial arts of Shaolin also deal with similar things, no?”
“The paths walked are entirely different. What I wanted was swordsmanship, while they focused on enhancing their divine techniques.”
“External power… external power… well, if that’s your reason… then anyone would yearn for strength. That’s the essence of a warrior.”
The Martial Alliance Leader chuckled.
“I’ll give you three days. Enjoy exploring the Secret Library. This is a gift from me to you. Take what you can. If you name my name, and if there’s a martial art you wish to borrow… well, I can lend you at least one.”
…
The Secret Library.
A treasure trove of knowledge that can only be opened with the permission of the Martial Alliance Leader.
I stepped into that place. I was faced with an unfathomable number of volumes.
The underground annex was quite spacious. It was as if one could not see the end at a glance.
And everything stuck in between was books…
No need to mention more.
The gatekeeper behind me closed the door. I looked around the Secret Library in silence.
For a warrior, it was a dream unlike any other. But my purpose wasn’t martial arts; it lay elsewhere.
Information.
Records of borrowed and returned martial arts in the Secret Library.
I perused through the records. Following the order in which they were brought in, I picked out a few years ago.
What I wanted was singular.
The information on martial techniques that entered the Secret Library when the spies of the Demon Cult came pouring in.
The records of entrances and exits into the Secret Library.
“……”
I swept my fingers through the records until I reached a certain point.
It coincided with the time I was abandoned by the Demon Cult. And there was a trace of a substantial entry of Demon techniques.
I checked if a book titled “Spirit Seizing Soul Control Method” was systematically organized.
“…It’s not here.”
Didn’t the Reverse Heaven’s Ak-bi say something?
‘That’ and ‘she.’
I focused on the remaining two. Even though I hadn’t said who I was targeting, I had mentioned the other two by name.
Those two were likely members of the Reverse Heaven as well. But since the secret of the Spirit Seizing Soul Control Method seems to be absent…
The Martial Alliance and Reverse Heaven.
These two are not one and the same. It would be fine to view them separately. In that case, the chances of the names existing in the records held by the Martial Alliance Leader were very slim.
Unless they were spies sent by the Martial Alliance, there would be absolutely no chance that record would exist.
“…In this world… wasn’t it said that there’s no place without the Reverse Heaven…”
They are not allies of the Martial Alliance. But if that’s the case, could they be enemies of the Martial Alliance?
Recalling what Ak-bi had said, if I reminded myself of what I heard, the Reverse Heaven seemed to be a massive group that infiltrated the entire martial world, manipulating everything from behind.
Using blood feuds merely as warnings…
From eliminating Hyun-kyung’s masters without a care…
It wouldn’t be difficult to infer that they must possess tremendous power.
Groups that have seeped into the martial world like a plague. So does it make sense for the Martial Alliance Leader to be unaware of their existence?
“…If I were the leader…”
He wouldn’t have been unaware. After all, hadn’t I seen him in action?
An old coot of a hundred years like a raccoon. Even while using me, he never let his guard down. I could clearly sense suspicion directed at me amid the laughter of the Martial Alliance soldiers.
Would such a man be ignorant of the Reverse Heaven?
Even so, to leave them be…
That must mean there’s some benefit in doing so.
A temporary alliance. It wouldn’t be wrong to see it that way. That opens up another choice.
“……”
The Martial Alliance Leader had doubted me until the end.
What if he was monitoring the Reverse Heaven? What if he had tracked their activities?
If among the spies sent by the Martial Alliance, there was someone keeping an eye on the members of the Reverse Heaven that were planted in the Demon Cult?
The leader was a highly suspicious man, someone meticulous about utilizing others.
I looked back at the eyes that had been on me numerous times. If that were the case, even if we were allies, there would be no reason for him not to watch over the Reverse Heaven.
In a pinch, betrayal would be a power move.
I examined the names used in the entry of the Demon techniques. Those spies who returned from the Demon Cult and brought back the martial arts of the Demon Cult.
I recalled the names of those spies. After writing them down separately, I carefully tucked them away.
The life of a spy I experienced didn’t allow for individual action. The deeper one delved into the Demon Cult, the more one had to operate in an organized manner to extract information.
The structure necessitated cooperation among spies. As such, they likely knew each other’s situations well.
And among such people…
Three spies buried deep. It wouldn’t be unusual if one of them was a spy watching over the Reverse Heaven as well.
“…….”
Of course, that’s merely a conjecture. There are no certainties.
To uncover the truth, one had to take action, but I had work as a Martial Alliance Inspector…
“…….”
…Wait a second. No, that’s not it.
A capable information agency. Wouldn’t they be good at digging up others’ backgrounds?
I recalled her, who I had just parted ways with not long ago. At least just once…
Should I ask?
I grabbed a suitable external martial arts secret and slipped out of the Secret Library a day early. After asking the leader for a moment to consolidate the martial arts I was to learn, I sent a request as soon as dawn broke.
The reply came sooner than expected. It wasn’t just a letter that returned.
A young girl had come directly.
“…We reunited quicker than I thought. Jeok-un.”
“Su-ryeon.”
I smiled awkwardly.
“I need your help. I will pay for it… could you dig up some information for me?”
“What kind of information are you looking for?”
“I have a list of spies from the Martial Alliance that were planted in the Demon Cult. I’d like you to investigate their connections and retrieve information on two of them. One is a male and the other a female. The female was a bodyguard to the Heavenly Demon, and the male is referred to as the Seven Demons.”
“…Are you asking for a request to investigate the list and gather scattered information? That sounds like a tough request. What about the payment?”
“Just tell me what you want. I’ll do my best to accommodate you.”
Su-ryeon.
As she looked up at me after a long time, she seemed to ponder considerately before speaking.
The content was simple.
“I want you.”
“…Huh?”
